Circuit interrupter



Dec. 23, 1930. w. A. CHRYST 1,785,887

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed NOV. 18, 1927 WWI/M VIII/0'12 Patented Dec.23, 1930 a cnnrsraor narrow, omo, AssIe oa-rro nnLco-armcoarom'non; or

j j 'nav'rjomomo, a conrom'rron or DELAWARE 1" cmcurr mrnRiiiirrEn vApplication filed mu 18,4927. Serial in. 235111.,

preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

l In the drawings:

- Fig. 1 is a rupter embodylng the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof partly in section. Fig. 3 is an end viewlooking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2,,

.Fig. 4 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig.2. c

Fig.- 5 is a wiring diagram illustrating the use of thecircuit-interrupter in a battery chargingcircuit.

The circuit interrupter includes a mag: netizable U y-shaped frame 20which may be readily formed from. sheet metal. The yoke 21 of the frameisprovided with a central aperture for receiving the threaded exten sion22 of a magnetizable core 23 having a longitudinal flute formed by aknurling operation. The core 23 is attached to theyoke the "core 23.'The' threaded extension 22 is adapted to extend through a hole in a supporting frame not shown and receives a nut 25 by which the frame 20 issecured to the supporting frame by tightening the nut 25.

The core is surrounded by a main energizing winding -30yofa relativelylargenumher of turns of relatively ,.fine'wire and a winding 31 ofrelatively fewturns of heavy. wire which is preferably rectangular incross section and insulated only by varnish. One terminal 320i the coil30 andone terminal 33 of'the coil 31 areconnected together to abracket--34 whichis attached by rivets 35 to a non-conducting platecarrying contacts lanview of a circuit interi-i 21'by clamping the yokeby a nut 24 against 37 which are adapted to beengagedby contacts' 38carriedby the blades 39 of a plate 40 of resilient metal suchas hos horbronze. The other end 41of the coi 31 is located so that it may beattached toa conductor connected with the positive terminal of agenerator 80 having its. negative terminal grounded. The'other end 42 ofthe coil 30 1s attached to a terminal 43 for connection with ground.Thus the main energizingl'coil 30 is connected acrossthe generatorterminals while the coil 31"is' connected in series with the'interruptercontacts 37 and 38 and will belconnected with the-positive terminal jofa storage battery 81 when the'contacts are closed by connection whichwill now be described;

.The contacts 38 are connected by rivets 38a with clips 44 connected bywires 45 with clips 46 which are clamped by screws 47 against a hingesupporting plate 48 which in I turn is clamped against the frame20. Thusit is seen that the contacts 38 are'electrically connected with theframe20. The threaded extension 22 of the core 23 not only provides ameans for mounting the circuit interrupter but also provides a' terminalby which the contact 38 may be connected to the positive terminal of astoragebattery. Thus-it is seen that when the contacts 37 and 38 areclosed, the coil 31 willbe connected in series with the storage batteryand the generator,

The contacts 37 and 38 are closed electromagnetically when the coil 30has been energized to a certaindegree so that the core 23 attracts anarmature 50 to which the contact blades 39 are connected by rivets 51, 3The armature is hingedly connected with the hinge plate 48 by a flexiblesheet metal strap 52 attached to the armature 50' by the rivets 51 andto the plate 48 by therivets 53. The

armature 50 is urged away from the core'23 so as to maintain the contact38 out of engagement, with the contact 34 by a spring 54 attached at itsupper end to an'extension 55 of the armature 50 and at itslower end toan ex-- tension 56 of an adjustable lever 57 which is pivotallyconnected with the frame 20 by a stud 58a The plate 57 is provided witha slot 59 for receiving a screw-driver slotted will be turned about itspivot 58 in order to adjust the tension of the spring 54. A screw 62which passes through a slot 63 inthe lever 57 will, when tightened,securethe lever 57 to the frame 20 in the desired position of adjustment.

The armature 50 is limited in its movement" away from the core 23 by astop provided by an angle member'igfigt attached by a rivet 65 to anon-magnetizab le bridge member 66. The

angle member 64 has an opening 67. in its upright leg and an extension68 of the armature 5O passesv through this opening and cooper; ates withthe upright leg of the member 64 to limit u ward movement of thearmature 50 or. cloc wise movement as viewed in Fig. 2. The member64 maybe bent in order to vary the distance from the stop surface 64a thereofto the bridge 66, and, in this way, to vary the amount of separation ofthe armature 50 from the core 23. a p

The bridging member 66 is clamped between the branches of the frame-20by screws 47. and 70. The screws 70 pass throu h slots 72 in thenon-conducting plate 36, t rough plain holes in the frame 20 and throughthreaded holes in the depending leg 73 of the bridge 66. When the screws70 are loosened the plate 36 may be adjusted longitudinally of the core23 or vertically asviewed in Fig. 2 in order to vary the amount ofcontact separation and also to vary the minimum gap between thearmature50 and the core 23. The wires 32 and 33 are sufiicientlyflexible to per mit this adjustment. I

The screws 47 pass through slots 75 in the hinge supporting plate 48,through plain holes in the frame 20 and through threaded holes in thedepending leg 74 of the bridge.

66. By loosening the screws 47, the plate 48 may be adjusted verticallyin order to vary the relationof the hinge connection between thearmature and plate 48 to the frame 20. In this way the air ap. betweenthe armature and core ma also e adjusted. Tightening the screws. 47 willsecure the plate 48 in desired position of adjustment.

All of the adjustments can be readily made by the use of. ascrew-driver. To vary the tension of the spring 54 the screw-driver isap plied to the slotted disc 60 and the screw 62. To, vary the maximumair gap between the armature 50 and core 23 the screw-driver is appliedto the screws 47, and the stop member 64 may be bent-if desired. To adust the amount of contact separation, the-insulating plate 36;may beadjusted by applying a screwdriver in the screw 70. I

The invention possesses certain advantages in that the number of partshave been reduced to'a minimum by a construction which enables certainparts to perform more than one amass? function. For example, thebridging member 66 serves to su port the stop member 64 and also servesto ocate the branches of the frame in definite relation to the core 23which extends through an opening in the bridgin member 66 so as tobedefimtely located relative to the bridging member: The screws 47 and70 which clam the branches of the frame to the legs of the bridgingmember areused also to secure the vcontact'supporting plate 36 and ahinge" bracket 48in various positions of adjustment relative to theframe 20. The present invention possesses another advanta e in thattheconnection of the interrupter with a battery chargin circuit has beenfacilitated. a The threade shank 220i the core 23 not only provides forattaching the core to the magnet frame 20 but also provides one of theterminals of the circuit interrupter- While the form of embodimentof thepresent invention as-herein disclosed, constitutes a Ereferredform, itis to be understood that ot er forms mightbe adopted, all comin withinthe scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is 'as follows: I A circuit interrupter comprising amagnet frame supporting a core" surrounded by a winding, an armaturepivotally supported by the frame,interrupter contacts, one of which isactuated by the armature, a tension spring for urging the armature awafrom the core, and means for adjusting the tension of the spring andcomprising a lever attached to one end of the spring and pivotallysupported by the frame, means for turmng the lever, and means forclamping the lever tothe frame in adjusted position. 2. A circuitinterrupter according to claim 1 in which thepivoted lever is providedwith a slot for receiving a screwdriver-slotted disc having an eccentricshank pivotally connected with the frame. 3 p

3. A circuit interrupter comprising a U- shaped magnet frame, withparallel sides, a core supported by'the yoke of the frame and extendingfrom the yoke in the direction of the frame sides, anon-magnetizablebridge extending from one frame side to the other andhaving an opening for receiving the free end of the core,screwsfor'attaching the bridge to the frame sides, a pairof inter-vruptercontacts, a bracket attachedto one of the frame sides, andsupporting one .ofthe contacts, and an armature hingedly connected withthe other frame side and supporting the other contact, said screwsattach. ing the bracket and armature hinge as well V asthe bridgeto theframe sides.

4. A circuit-interrupter according to claim 3 in which the contactbracket'isprovided with slots elongated in the direction parallel to thecore, said slots receiving'theflscrews which attach one end of thebridge to the frame side, whereby the contact bracket is which isactuated by the armature, means adjustable to vary the relation of thestationary contact to the armature.

5 A circuit interrupter according to claim 3 in which the armature ishingedly attached to a bracket clamped against a frame side by screwswhich attach an end of the bridge to that frame side, the hinge brackethaving slots elongated in a direction parallel to the core, said slotsreceiving said screws whereby the hinge bracket is adjustable to varythe relation of the armature to the core.

6. A circuit interrupter according to claim 3 in which the bridgecarries an L-shaped bendable metal member providing an adjust able stopengageable with the armature to variably limit movement of the armatureaway from the core.

7. A circuit interrupter comprising a U-- shaped magnet frame, withparallel sides, a

core supported by the yoke of the frame and extending from the yoke inthe direction of the frame sides, a npn-magnetizable bridge extendingfrom one frame side to the other and having an opening for receiving thefree end, of the core, a bracket attached to one of the frame sides andsupportng an interrupter contact, an armature hingedly connected withthe other frame side and supporting another interrupter contact, andmeans for attaching the bridge and bracket, and the bridge and armaturesupport to the respective frame sides of the magnet, said bracket andarmature support being movable relative to the frame sides and-bridgemember.

8. A circuit interrupter comprising an open ended magnet framesupporting a core surrounded by a winding, each leg of the magnet frameadj ustably supportin one contact in cooperative relation with t eother, one of said contacts being movable and provided with adjustablyresilient means for establishing one circult condition, and meansresponsive to the core and windings for establishing the oppositecircuit condition.

9. A circuit interrupter comprising a magnet frame supporting a coresurrounded by a winding, an armature pivotally supported by the frame,interrupter contacts, one of for urging the armature away from the core,and means for varying the eflect of the urging means and comprising alever attached to the urging means and pivotally supported by the frame,means for turning the lever and means for clamping the lever to theframe in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I hereto-affix my signature.

WILLIAM A. CHRYST.

